BY FRANK DRUCKER,
Publicity Director, Empire City @ Yonkers Raceway
YONKERS, NY, Saturday, May 16, 2015—A
repeating Luminosity (George Brennan, $7.40) and Big N Bad (Eric Carlson,
$26.20) shared the Saturday night glory, winning Yonkers Raceway’s co-featured
$42,000 Open Handicaps.
Luminosity, from outside post position No.
7 in the weekly marquee trot, plotzed into a pocket behind Dewycolorintheline
(Jordan Stratton). That one threw down early intervals of :27.3 and :56.4 before Stan the Man (Jason
Bartlett) moved from fourth.
“Stan” didn’t
do much for the cause, including 3-4 fave Obrigado (Mark MacDonald), who was
operating from third-over. Meanwhile, “Dewy” found a 1:25.3 three-quarters,
taking a length-and-a-half lead into the lane. However, Luminosity edged
out and by, winning by a length-and-a-quarter in 1:54.2.
Obrigado and
Il Mago (Dan Dube), both compromised by a stagnant tow, rallied for second and
third, respectively. Dewycolorintheline and Tweet Me (Tyler Buter) rounded out
the payees.
For second Luminosity , a 5-year-old Cash Hal gelding co-owned (as Burke
Racing) by (trainer) Ron Burke and Weaver Bruscemi, it was his sixth win in 15
seasonal starts. The exacta paid $18.60, with the triple returning $75.50.
The week’s featured pace had Big N Bad,
from post No, 3, have no such issues hitchin’ a ride. He wound up second-up
behind 7-5 choice Fool Me One (Brennan) as that one put the heat upon Sapphire
City (MacDonald).
Sapphire City, at a baker’s-dozen-to-one,
had led through sub-sections of :27.1,
:56.4 and 1:24.2. He dispatched former New York Sire Stakes champ Fool Me Once
and owned a length-and-half lead in and out of the final turn.
Unfortunately
for Sapphire City and his legions, unwanted company was coming in the form of a
pocketed The Real One (Pat Lachance) and Big N Bad. The latter whipped the
former by a half-length in 1:52.4, with P H Supercam (Bartlett), Sapphire City
and Casimir Jitterbug (Buter) settling for the minor moolah.
The five
check-getters were separated by 1¾ lengths at the wire.
For fifth choice Big N Bad, a
5-year-old Badlands Hanover gelding owned by Vincent Laurenzo and trained by
Jennifer Sabot, it was his fifth win in 11 ’15 tries. The exacta paid $76.50,
the triple returned $400 and the superfecta paid $3,182.
The Raceway’s live season continues
Saturday night (post time 7:10 PM). After that, it’s Monday (7:10 PM), a
“French-centric” Tuesday (1 PM, second round of the Jackpot Next Door Claiming
Series), then Thursday through Saturday (all at 7:10 PM). Note Sunday matinees
are done until November. Evening simulcasting accompanies all night programs,
with afternoon simulcasting available daily.
